Gloria So ’14 spent the past two summers participating in a LIN Media training program and once she graduates, she will be offered a job at one of LIN’s stations.

So, an Honors Fellow and 2014 Periclean Scholar, is a recipient of the LIN Media Digital Scholarship, a national award that pays up to $20,000 annually in expenses for tuition, fees, books, and room and board for her junior and senior years in addition to the training and job opportunity.

The training program works well for So whose independent major is in human rights and social justice activism and includes courses in communications, human services, art and anthropology.

“It explores the origins of social and cultural constructions and contextualizes them through a visual and creative process,” So says.

Before arriving at Elon, So traveled on four mission trips to do service work in Brazil, Panama, South Korea and the Dominican Republic. She has participated in two study abroad trips while at Elon. Her first experience was an internship in Lithuania through Elon’s Center for Leadership. She spent this past Winter Term in Ghana, exploring the West African country’s history and culture.

“I was blown away by the genuine enthusiasm, warm spirit and incredible hospitality of the people in Ghana,” she says. “It is such a vibrant and beautiful country teeming with so much natural beauty. Throughout the course, I could sense the changes in my classmates as more people tried new foods, engaged in challenging activities and approached new people. In a sense, we became comfortable with being uncomfortable; that’s the beauty of studying abroad.”

She also recently returned to Africa on an Elon Volunteers! service trip to Malawi.

“I guess I can’t stay away from the warm heart of Africa,” So says.

She is active in numerous organizations on campus. She is the co-president of Invisible Children, an Elon Admissions tour guide, the historian of the Alpha Phi Omega service fraternity, an orientation leader and a community volunteer. She has worked both as an advertising sales representative and staff photographer with The Pendulum.

So plans to eventually pursue a graduate degree and then do communications work for nonprofit organizations. She is the second Elon student to be awarded a LIN scholarship.